JPS60251089A - Filler for liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a liquid filling device.

2. Description of the Related Art As a quantitative filling device for a liquid such as a medicinal solution, a device as shown in FIG. 2 or a device as shown in FIG. 4 are known.

In the case of Figure 2, the intermediate liquid tank (1) and the filling part (2)
A plunger pump (5) as shown in Fig. 3 is installed in the piping (4) arranged between the nozzle (3) of the is sent from the tank (1) to the nozzle (3) and filled into a container (6) moving through the filling section (2). However, with this device, the amount of filling at one time is determined by the discharge amount of the pump (5), so when changing the amount of filling, the stroke of the plunger (7>) is usually manually adjusted to greatly change the amount of filling II4. In such a case, it is necessary to replace the pump (5).The filling amount is indirectly set by adjusting the discharge amount of the pump (5), so setting the filling amount is quite troublesome. Moreover, the actual filling amount varies considerably.

Furthermore, it is impossible to monitor the filling amount each time, and it is necessary to perform manual sampling inspection and readjust the discharge amount of the pump (5). Furthermore, since a plunger pump (5) is used, it must be disassembled before cleaning and sterilizing the device, and in-line cleaning and sterilization is not possible.

In the case of Figure 4, the liquid intermediate tank (pressure tank) (8)
A liquid reservoir (12) is provided in the pipe (11) disposed between the nozzle (10) of the filling part (9), and a valve (13) is provided between the liquid reservoir (12) and the nozzle (10). ) is provided. As shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, the piping (11) in the valve (13) section is made of a flexible tube (14) such as a silicone tube; It consists of a fixed member (15) and a movable member (16) that are arranged opposite to each other with the two members in between.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the movable member (16) is moved to the fixed member (
The valve (13) opens by moving away from the tube (15), and as shown in FIG.
) closes. Also, the opening time of the valve (13) (
opening time) is controlled by a valve control device (17). The tank (8) is connected via a pressure control device (18) to a source of compressed air (19), and the tank (8) in the pipe (11)
A pressure detector (20) is provided in the side part, and a pressure control device (18) controls the air pressure in the tank (8) so that the liquid pressure at the outlet of the tank (8) is constant. Ru. While the valve (13) is open, this air pressure causes a certain amount of liquid to flow from the tank (8) to the nozzle 1.
0) and is filled into the container (21) of the filling section (9). In this device, the amount of one filling is determined by the hydraulic pressure and the valve (13
), the filling amount can be changed by adjusting these settings. However, since the filling amount is indirectly set by adjusting the hydraulic pressure and the opening time of the valve (13), setting the filling amount is quite troublesome, and furthermore, the actual filling amount varies considerably. Furthermore, it is impossible to monitor the filling amount each time, and it is necessary to perform manual sampling inspections and readjust the hydraulic pressure and opening time of the valve (13). Furthermore, since no pump is used, it is possible to clean the device in-line, but since a flexible tube (14) with low pressure resistance is used for the valve (13), it can be cleaned in-line. steam sterilization is not possible.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a highly accurate liquid filling device that allows easy setting of filling amount, monitoring of total filling wA amount, in-line cleaning, and steam sterilization. The purpose is to

Structure of the Invention The liquid filling device according to the present invention includes a liquid filling pipe provided with a flow rate detector, and a filling valve that is controlled to open and close based on the output of the flow rate detector at the tip of this pipe. It is.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a chemical liquid filling device installed in a sterile room, and this device is equipped with an intermediate tank (pressure tank) (30) similar to the conventional example shown in FIG.

At the top of the tank (30), there is a chemical liquid introduction pipe (31) whose lower end faces the upper inner wall surface of the tank (30), and a fluid ejection pipe (32) whose lower end is located at the center of the upper part of the tank (30).
A chemical solution inlet pipe (31 ) and a fluid ejection pipe (32) are connected in parallel.A pressure detector (35) is installed at the top of the tank (30), and compressed air is supplied via a pressure regulator (36). source(
37) is connected to the bottom of the tank (30).
A liquid level detector (38) is provided to detect the height of the liquid level in the tank (30) based on liquid pressure.

A chemical liquid delivery pipe (39>) is connected to the bottom of the tank (30), and a second switching valve (40) is connected to this pipe (39).
The filling pipe (41) is connected to the first fluid discharge pipe (41) through the 39th switching valve (42).
3) is connected.

The tip of the filling pipe (41) is led to the filling part (44), and a mass flowmeter (flow rate detector) (45) is installed near the tip. 4
A filling valve (46) whose opening and closing are controlled based on the output of a flow meter (45) is provided at the tip of the valve (1).
A filling needle (47>) is detachably attached to the lower end of the filling part (46).A second fluid discharge pipe (46) is installed near the filling part (44).
48), and the first and second fluid discharge pipes (43) (48) merge into one and are connected to the main fluid discharge pipe (49). Furthermore, the second discharge'! (
48) on the side of the filling part (44) is usually connected to the lid (50).
) is sealed.

The filling section (44) includes a transfer device (52) for the container (51).
, two sets of filling monitoring photodetectors (53) (54), a defective product reservoir (55), etc. are provided.

The above-mentioned filling device and sterile filtration device use a control device (56
), and this control device (56) is equipped with a CRT
(57) and a printer (58) are provided. In addition, a pressure regulator (36), each detector (35) (38
5 ('45) (53) (54), each valve (34)
(40), (,42) (46), other detectors and valves, etc. of the sterile filtration device (not shown) are connected to the control device (56), respectively, and are used for filling chemical solutions, cleaning the device in-line, and steaming. Sterilization takes place automatically.

When filling with a chemical solution, prior to this, the amount of one filling (weight) is set using the keyboard of the CRT (57), and this is stored in the control device (56). Filling of the chemical liquid is performed in parallel with sterile filtration, and during filling, the first valve (34) connects the secondary side piping (33) and the chemical liquid introduction pipe (31), and the secondary side piping (33)
) and the fluid ejection pipe (32), the second valve (40) is open and the third valve (42) is closed. Also, during filling, the secondary side piping (3
3) to the first valve (34) and the chemical solution introduction pipe (31
) is installed in the primary side piping of the sterile filtration device based on the output of the liquid level detector (38) so that the liquid level of the sterile-filtered chemical solution supplied into the tank (30) through the tank (30) is constant. The chemical solution introduction opening/closing valve (not shown) is automatically operated, and a pressure regulator (36) is installed based on the output of the pressure detector (35) so that the air pressure in the tank (30) is constant.
is automatically operated. And the flow meter (45) as follows
By controlling the opening and closing of the filling valve (46) based on the output of the container (51), the container (51) moving in the filling section (44) is successively filled with a set amount of the drug solution by the transfer device (52). That is, when the filling valve (46) opens, the chemical liquid in the tank (30) is sent to the filling needle (47) through the flow meter (45) and the filling valve (46) by air pressure, and moves below this. The container (51) is then filled with the liquid.

During filling, the controller (56) monitors the output of the flow meter (45), and after the filling valve (46) opens, the controller (56) monitors the output of the flow meter (45).
45), the filling valve (46) is automatically closed when the weight of the medicinal solution passing through reaches the set amount. As a result, one container (51) is filled with a set amount of drug solution, and by repeating this operation, the drug solution is automatically filled into the containers (51) that pass under the filling needle (47) one after another. The set amount is filled. At this time, the filling valve (46) is controlled based on the mass flow rate detected by the flow meter (45), so the filling section is monitored for all containers (51) each time, unlike the conventional method. Sampling inspections are not required. The amount of one filling is directly set by the weight passing through the mass flow meter (45), and the filling valve (46) is controlled based on the output of this detector (45), so the actual filling The amount is not affected by the physical properties of the liquid (temperature, viscosity, specific gravity, density, etc.), and the variation in filling amount between containers (51) is also very small. Experimentally, for example, 0.5
When filling a small volume of ~10IIll, the variation in the filling amount between containers (51) is several mg, and it has been confirmed that the filling accuracy is dramatically improved compared to the conventional one.

During filling, the first optical sensor (53) monitors whether or not the medicinal liquid is discharged from the filling needle (47), and the second optical sensor (54) monitors whether the medicinal liquid is filled into the container (51). It is being monitored to see if this has been done. Then, the good product whose chemical solution is reliably filled into the container (51) is transferred to the transfer device (51).
2), the defective products are moved to the next step and the container (51) is not filled with the chemical solution, and the defective products are removed to the defective product reservoir (55).

In-line steam sterilization of equipment is usually done using steam before filling, and in-line equipment cleaning is
Usually, this is done using steam, distilled water, hot water, detergent, etc. after filling. Sterilization and cleaning include cases in which only the sterile filtration device and tank (30) are sterilized or cleaned, and cases in which the entire sterile filtration device and filling device are sterilized or cleaned. In the former case, from the sterile filtration device to the secondary piping (33) and the first valve (34)
, a chemical solution introduction pipe (31), a fluid ejection pipe (32), a tank (30), a chemical solution delivery pipe (39), and a third valve (42).
) and the main discharge pipe (
49), each valve is operated so that steam or distilled water, etc. flows through the second valve with the lid (50) removed.
The distal end of the discharge pipe (48) is placed over the filling needle (47) from below and connected and fixed in a hermetically sealed manner to the filling valve (46). 34)
, a chemical solution introduction pipe (31), a fluid ejection pipe (32), a tank (30), a chemical solution delivery pipe (39), and a second valve (40).
), filling pipe (41) and flow meter (45), filling valve (4B), filling needle (47) and second discharge pipe (
Each valve is operated so that steam, distilled water, etc. flows through the main discharge pipe (49) through the main pipe (48).

The above-mentioned filling of the chemical solution, in-line cleaning of the device, and steam sterilization are automatically switched and performed continuously by the control device (56). Then, the printer (58) of the control device (56) outputs the filling results of all containers (51), the statistical calculation results, and records of cleaning and steam sterilization, and the CRT (57) displays the process information. Changes, abnormality warnings, etc. are output.

In the above embodiment, only one filling valve is provided for one flow rate detector, but it is also possible to control a plurality of filling valves with one flow rate detector.

The filling device does not necessarily have to be directly connected to the sterile filtration device as in the above embodiment.

Furthermore, the present invention can of course be applied to liquids other than medicinal liquids.

Effects of the Invention According to the liquid filling device of the present invention, the liquid filling piping (
41) is provided with a flow rate detector (45), and this pipe (41) is provided with a flow rate detector (45).
1) is provided with a filling valve (46) that is controlled to open and close based on the output of the flow rate detector (45).
The amount of filling at one time can be directly set by the flow rate of the liquid passing through the flow rate detector (45). Therefore, setting the amount of filling is extremely easy, and even if the setting value of the filling amount changes greatly, the parts cannot be replaced. There is no need to replace it at all. Since the filling valve (46) is controlled based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector (45), the filling amount is monitored for all units each time, eliminating the need for a conventional sampling inspection. It is. In addition, the amount of filling per time is directly set by the flow rate passing through the flow rate detector (45), and the filling valve (46) is based on the output of this detector (45).
) is controlled, so the variation in the actual filling amount is also very small. In addition, a flow rate detector (
45) and a filling valve (46), it enables in-line cleaning and steam sterilization of the device, and can also be used by being directly incorporated into existing filling machines. You can also do that.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a pipe system diagram of a filling device showing an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a pipe system diagram of a conventional filling device, Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the plunger pump portion of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4
The figure is a pipe system diagram of a filling device showing another conventional example, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged vertical sectional views showing the valve of FIG. 4 in an open state and a closed state, respectively. (41)...Filling piping, (45)...Mass flow meter (flow rate detector), (46)...Filling valve. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A flow rate detector (45) is provided in the liquid filling pipe (41), and a filling valve (46) that is opened and closed is controlled based on the output of the flow rate detector (45) at the tip of this pipe (41). liquid filling equipment.